Week #3

Oh my goodness - I can't believe it's been an entire week since I've written anything. I have been quite busy this week. It has been a great week - I am really getting "plugged in" and feeling much more comfortable and very at ease. I guess the easiest thing to do is to just give you a quick day by day run down. (I'll try and stick to "quick")

Sunday, 5 July 09
Part 2 of the Why Worry series! If anyone can find the link to that message series can you please email it to me. I have searched all over the Northpoint website and can not find it. The why worry series is FABULOUS - everyone should watch it. I was on the Host Team this Sunday at church. I really enjoyed greeting everyone and welcoming them to SouthPoint!

Monday, 6 July 09
I got to go on a local tour. I went down the West Coast with tour guides Adam and Brenden. The weather didn't start off the greatest - but by lunch time the sun was out and it was a beautiful day. I got to see places that the Tour Busses don't go - Cape Town tour with locals! We went into the City Centre, to Bantry Bay (very expensive) Clifton, Camp's Bay (big surfer area) Hout Bay (pronounced Hot), Noordhoek, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, False Bay. It was such a fun day. We had traditional fish-n-chips in Kalk Bay. The coast is absolutely beautiful.

Tuesday, 7 July 09
I spent most of the day working at the church, Painting Pam's office.

Wednesday, 8 July 09
I met with Alison Alexander - the project manager and house mother at Rainbow House. I met her around 9:30 for coffee at the Howard Centre. She is an amazing woman - whose faith is so encouraging. Her story and vision for Rainbow House is incredible and infectious. It was awesome to hear very specific stories of how God continuously meets the needs of Rainbow House. There is a lot going on with the Rainbow House now - they are about to open a thrift shop which will be a source of income for the Rainbow House. I told her that I feel God is really drawing me to work with children in some capacity and I am here to help her however she needs me. We set up a few things - I'm going to be kind of like her "right hand man" for the time I'm here. Over the next week or so I'm going to RH whenever I can - but I am going to stay there permanently for the month of August. I might go sooner if I can. Let me tell you - I'm so excited. You can hear or see me talk about it through this blog - but my face lights up - and I think God is revealing my passion and purpose to me.
Quick change of subject - Wednesday afternoon I spent with this lady Doreen. She's 78 and took care of Carla's (the lady whose house I"m staying in) father before for the past 5 years before he died last year. She and her neighbor Barbara took me on a tour up North. We went to Parrl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch. We ate lunch at this beautiful place - Hillcrest Berry Orchards. It was stunning - in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountain. Very un-American of me - I didn't have my camera with me. You must google image search it - the view was spectacular. I returned from my trip North around 4:00. After that I headed up to the church - I finished painting Pam's office. I had to actually call my dad for a little advice. I couldn't get the trim and the walls to blend together so I asked him what to do. Turns out I was doing it backwards - you're supposed to "cut-in" first and then paint with the roller as close to the edge as you can. I did the last coat that way and Vyoo-lah - it was MUCH Better! I will post pictures tomorrow of so. She got all moved in over the weekend. If any of you are looking for a painter - I can be reached via email - I'll give you a great deal! =)

Thursday, 9 July 09
Today I went to Rainbow House. YEAH! I was there from 930am - 630pm. It was a fantastic day! I got to see the everyday running of the house. There was a girl Kate there - she's been there for a couple of months. She's from the UK - and she's leaving this coming Wednesday. There were also a few other volunteers - 2 girls in the morning and 1 girl in the afternoon. Right now there are 8 children in the house. Twin 3 month olds (boy and girl) Loretta (but we're going to call her Katie) and Keenan. 1 year old Kallum, 2 year old Liam (brothers) - 3 year olds Subashly, Owam, and Anthia, and 7 year old Mishka. These children are all adorable. They have lived harder lives in their young age than most of us ever will. They each have there own unique story and we don't necessarily even know their entire past. Although there stories are all unique - the 1 thing they all need is the same - LOVE! I am sure most of my future blogs are going to be going on and on about Rainbow House. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me there.
Thursday night I attended the braai again. It was fun again. This time I decided to take 2 steaks - sirloins I think - I cooked them both and ate one then and saved the other one for Friday. I was completely exhausted from my day at the Rainbow House. I fell asleep on my bed with the lights on - woke up at 3 am and turned them off.

Friday, 10 July 09
Slept in! I had a pretty relax day. I went to Canal Walk with Kelly - she's a young girl at the church - I met her in November - but have gotten to spend a lot of time with her since I've been here. We just walked around - had lunch and picked up a few things. One thing that is funny here - all of the malls also have grocery store/super markets in them. Could you imagine Phipps Plaza with a Kroger in it.

Saturday, 11 July 09
I went to this outdoor/indoor market. It was in Salt River at the Old Biscuit Mill. It was really neat. There was food to eat - food to buy - all sorts of food! Then there were also tons of shops. I just looked at a bunch of stuff. I love African stuff. I went to the market with Carla and Gavin and a girl from church - Miranda. We left the market around noon and Carla and Gavin took me to the Rainbow House. I felt much more at ease at the Rainbow House today. I think because there weren't any other volunteers there (besides Alison) - so I didn't feel like I had to follow any one's lead. I just took care of kids like I know how to. I am so looking forward to being there full time - although I might come back to Pinelands on the weekends. I am busy the beginning of this week - but will head back to Rainbow House - Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I can not wait.

So here we are Sunday. The rain came during the night. Thank you Lord for the fabulous weather we've had for the past few weeks. It has rained ALL day today. I think it's about to get cold again. I had a very busy Sunday. Left for church 8:15am - helped with Waumba Land registration again. In church we finished up the Why Worry series. Again - it was great! Everyone should see this series. A mission team from NorthPoint arrived yesterday. It's a high school group and 4 adults. They are here to help launch Inside Out this week. I helped Pam serve them lunch after church. Then we had a braai tonight - it was actually an indoor braai.
It was a busy - but very fun day. The NP team is great. I haven't hung around high schoolers in a while - wow they are energetic - or maybe just delirious- I think many of them are a little sleep deprived.

I should be off to bed now - it's after 12am. I have a busy week planned. I'm heading out with MetroKids tomorrow - visiting and giving out oranges. I am looking forward to it. I haven't been with them the past few weeks. Oh yeah - my team from November is hosting a Benefit in Atlanta July 30th to raise money for MetroKids South Africa. The tickets are $25 - please check out the website www.metrokids09.com Please check out the website. If you can buy a ticket and attend PLEASE DO SO - even if you can't buy a ticket and would like to make a contribution you can do that to! MetroKids is awesome! I wish all of you could see it first hand like me.

I promise I will write more tomorrow - I have some funny things I want to tell you about and teach you all some nice South African slang! I will also post the church address a few of you asked about sending packages. As far as the comments on the blog go - I'm sorry i don't know what happened to the "leave comment" button. You can always email me at cape.town.katie@gmail.com I LOVE getting email!

Talk to you soon!
Katie